Once I discovered the truth, my husband stopped calling me crazy for fearing he was cheating. What I thought was a doubt became a life-changing insight. How to handle the aftermath and what to do next was my challenge.
I never imagined I’d be that lucky, yet I got everything I desired. I had a successful profession, married my husband, and became a stay-at-home parent after getting pregnant.
Robert and I had Ellie and Miles, and I was the happiest woman in the world.
They were too little to work, but I planned to work from home when they were older.
I never imagined anything going wrong, but it did, and I was unprepared.
It began on a typical Saturday. Robert and I picnicked with the kids in the park.
I fed Ellie lunch while Robert held Miles and watched the ducks in the pond. Robert and Miles returned later.
“In moments like these, I want a third child,” Robert added.
A chuckle. “Miles is only nine months old, give it some time,” I said.
“Well, these two turned out pretty great,” Robert observed.
“Remember when they both had meltdowns at once? I said.
“Don’t ruin my idyllic moment,” Robert urged, grasping Ellie’s hand and returning to the water.
He was right, though. My heart swelled with love when everything seemed wonderful.
When Robert’s phone rang, an unfamiliar number displayed on the screen.
Before I could contact him to pick it up, the conversation terminated and a new message came through.
You haven’t called me lately. I miss your voice:(
I trembled, my pulse raced, and I felt like I was blazing hot and freezing cold. Was my spouse, my love, cheating?
We were driving home when the kids fell asleep in the back seat, weary from the day.
I twisted my wedding ring around my finger to find the appropriate words to say to Robert, but it came out anyhow.
“Are you cheating on me?” I shakily inquired.
“What? Where did you get that idea?” Robert questioned.
“Someone called you, and this message came through…” I said.
“Did you check my phone?” Robert questioned.
“No, it just appeared on the screen,” I answered.
Robert unlocks the phone and shows me the same message.
Robert responded, “See, there’s nothing else. Someone just dialed the wrong number.”
I asked “Really?”
“Sure. Kelly, I love you more than anything. I would never cheat on you,” Robert answered.
“Alright, I love you too,” I said.
Robert kissed my hand.
“But if you cheat on me, admit it,” I added.
“I won’t cheat on you,” Robert said.
“But suppose—”
“Alright, I’ll tell you.” Robert responded.
After that automobile chat, I calmed down, but I attempted to ignore my unease.
Robert used to rush home from work to see me and the kids, but now he stayed late without explaining why.
We still saw one other when he was home, but it seemed like he wasn’t truly with me.
Another oddity was that he changed his phone password after years of using it.
I attempted to talk to Robert about it, but he said everything was OK and I was overthinking it.
I dropped the kids off at my mom’s to go to the hairdresser and noticed Robert in his car with a woman as I left.
I swiftly got in my car and followed Robert to a café parking lot, where I paused when I saw him alone: no girlfriend.
Robert rolled down the window, asking, “Kelly, what are you doing here?”
“I was at the hairdresser,” I said.
“Yeah, I can see that. Your new haircut looks great,” Robert added.
“I just updated the color and length,” I responded. “Robert, where’s the woman?”
He said, “What woman?”
“There was a woman in your car,” I said.
“Kelly, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I came here to grab lunch,” Robert answered.
“But I definitely saw her,” I replied.
“You’ve gotten so worked up that now you’re seeing things that aren’t there. It’s uncomfortable that you’re accusing me of that,” Robert added.
“Alright, sorry,” I said.
“You’re starting to sound like some crazy person,” Robert replied.
“I’m sorry,” I muttered, returning to my car.
I wanted to go back to my mom’s, pick up the kids, and go home, but my gut told me to remain, so I did.
I feigned to leave the parking lot, circled back, and blended in with the other automobiles to avoid being seen from the café.
The identical woman I saw in Robert’s automobile entered the café and sat with him.
They smiled and joked, and when she kissed him, my heart broke. My guy was kissing another woman.
After taking a few shots, I started my car and drove to my mom’s, crying nonstop.
He cheated on me, lied to me, and made me look crazy.
I awaited Robert’s return that night.
I said, “I know you’re cheating on me.
“Kelly, how many times do we have to go through this? Don’t become a paranoid wife,” Robert remarked.
“I saw you, and I have photos so you can’t say I imagined it,” I added.
“Kelly, I…” Robert paused.
“All I asked from you was honesty, but you couldn’t even manage that,” I remarked.
“Because I love you, Kelly,” Robert added. “I love our kids, and I didn’t want to lose this family.”
If you love me, why were you with her?
“Because I love her too,” Robert answered.
I asked, “You love her?”
Robert answered, “Yeah, I love both of you. I didn’t think it was possible, but it happened. Just don’t leave me, I beg you.”
“You know what the worst part of all this is? I still love you, even with all the pain you’re causing me,” I remarked.
“Then stay. We’ll figure this out,” Robert responded.
He didn’t even contemplate splitting up with her; he wanted to sit on two seats, but reality doesn’t work that way.
After Robert went to bed, I packed up, kissed the kids farewell, and departed.
I loved Robert, but I couldn’t be with a man who wasn’t mine.
I asked my mom to check on the kids, which crushed my heart, but I had a plan that would work.
Robert couldn’t locate me once I changed my phone and moved out. Not even my mom knew where I was.
His sweetheart, Lindsay, moved into our house, so Robert didn’t mourn long.
He replaced me with her—she raised my kids, slept in my bed, was me.
However, she wasn’t taking it as well as I did since she hadn’t planned to be a mistress, wife, and mother.
I met her strolling with my kids near our house a month later when I returned.
The attractive lady I saw in the café was gone—she walked with her hair in a sloppy bun, a dirty T-shirt, and black bags under her eyes from lack of sleep. I was well-dressed, with clean hair and light makeup.
I approached Lindsay, saying, “Hey, Lindsay,” even though I wanted to embrace my kids.
“YOU!” she yelled, “ruined my life! I didn’t sign up for all this!”
“I thought you wanted to be with Robert,” I said.
“But not like this! I didn’t want to raise someone else’s kids! And you just disappeared!” Lindsay shouted.
“Well, I’m back,” I said.
Lindsay said, “Great, take your kids, your husband, I don’t need any of it!” and left.
I rushed to embrace my kids, missing them so deeply. Now I’d never leave them.
I walked into the home, put Lindsay’s items in garbage bags, and dumped them outside, then Robert’s.
After driving the kids to Robert’s office, I held Ellie’s hand and Miles’.
Robert shouted, “Kelly! Where have you been?” when he spotted me.
“Does it even matter? You didn’t suffer much, you replaced me right away,” I remarked.
“What was I supposed to do? I want a divorce and custody of the kids. Lindsay and I will raise them together,” Robert remarked.
“Your Lindsay ran off as soon as she got the chance,” I added. “And I’ve already filed for the divorce, don’t worry,” I informed him.
“She couldn’t have run off! She’s not you, we love each other!” Robert shouted.
“If I were you, I’d wonder why women keep running from you,” I remarked.
“It says here you get the whole house, but that’s impossible, it’s in my mom’s name,” Robert replied, staring at the divorce papers.
“I told your mom everything this month. She said she was ashamed to have a son like you and doesn’t want you living in her house,” I added.
“No, you didn’t dare!” Robert yelled.
“But you did this to yourself. You won’t get the kids either. I might agree to joint custody, but once you file for full custody, I’ll make sure you can’t get near them,” I replied.
“You won’t be able to do this!” Robert shouted.
“Don’t forget, before I was a mom, I was a lawyer. A great lawyer, so I can do anything,” I remarked, then took the kids and left the office while Robert shouted witch.
Despite the difficulty, I would defend myself and my kids from any man who tried to manipulate or lie to me.
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